Improved clam-opener



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEa JONAS N. HAWKIN S, OF ISLIP, NEW-YORK.

IMPROVED CLAM-OPENER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,495, dated February 25, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. N. HAWKINS, of Islip, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Implement or Device for Opening Clams; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specication, said drawing being a perspective view of my invention.

The object of this invention is to obtain a simple and efficient device for opening clams, round or hard clams,7 as they are commonly termed, and which require a considerable effort in order to be opened with an ordinary hand-knife, as the shells are quite thick and hard and not readily pried apart.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a block or base, which may be of wood and of any suitable length. B is a metal upright, which is secured by screws or proper bolts to the block or base A near one end. The upright B is slotted vertically at its upper end to receive the end of a knife, C, which is secured iu said upright by a pin or pivot, a, and allowed to work freely thereon. The upper end of the upright B is provided with two arms, b I), which are of curved form, as shown in the drawing. These arms are sufficiently far apart to admit of the knife O working freely between them, the arms serving as guides for the knife at all points of the movement of the latter.

The knife G is formed of an ordinary steel bar brought to an edge by slightly tapering or beveling its sides. The outer end of the knife is provided with a handle, D, as shown plainly in the drawing.

The implement is used asfollows: The clam to be opened (shown in red outline) is placed by the operator on the block or base A, the hinge or joint which connects the two valves or parts of the shell being downward. The knife C is then brought down by the hand of the operator on the edge of the clam and between the two parts of the shell, and being forced down the valves are separated and the clam cut or split direct-ly through the center.

The arms or guides b b perform an important function. They steady the knife, preventing all lateral play and vibration, and thereby greatly facilitate the adjustment of the knife to the clam, as the former is made to rise and fall in the same plane. If the arms or guides b b were not employed, the knife O could not be adjusted to the clam with facility, as the cutting-plane of the knife would vary considerably, and it would be necessary to bring the knife down slowly in order to adjust it proper] y to the clam. y

Ido not claim any of the parts herein described separately and irrespective of the arrangement aud application for the purpose specified; but

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- As an improved article of manufacture, a clam-opening instrument composed of a baseplate, A, standard B, with guide-arms b b, and a knife, O, pivotedto the standard at a, all as herein shown and described.

JONAS N. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

GALEB N. GREEN, F. W. WHEELER. 

